Even In Darkness
by SilentAffections
Summary: Sasuke's lost touch with everyone he had ever come to know, but after growing restless he decides to pay a visit to an old friend. Except, Naruto isn't the same as he once was. SasuNaru (yaoi) AU
1. Chapter 1

It was July 23rd, and where as anyone would by joyous of such a date he was clearly not. For him it was a constant reminder of what he once had and had come to lose. Something so close but yet so far away and though his brother sent cards wishing him happiness the emotion never registered within his mind. Happiness was a lost cause, a feeling he could never regain. In its place was an emptiness so deep, so hollow that it surprised him as to how he could continue on with this life. This tragic nightmare he lived, day after day. What angered him most was his inability to escape such a burden that had been bestowed upon him by the heavens, and surely he felt that any God of his were feeding off his pent up rage. He held no anger for the world, for it had committed no injustice, but at the people which inhabited it, the very ones who had stripped him of a normal life.

Because of them his parents were dead, buried six feet under in a cemetery where they laid their dearly beloveds. But they had been treated differently. For them there was no coffin, no person to see them off, no proper burial, for hopes that they would rot within the Earth, as most thought they deserved. No one had asked or bothered to think of how he would feel about such a thing, for they could care less. To the eyes of many his last name marked him as a traitor, a lost cause, a royal screw up. Not that he cared. He was the last of his clan, the last noble Uchiha. For all he cared Itachi had died along with his family, the weasel wasn't worth his appraisal. Why, he had left the first chance that had had presented itself, and for that the young boy resented him. When he had needed someone the most, his brother had left him to fend for himself, alone in the cruel world that had engulfed his own.

He allowed the letter to slip from his fingertips and fall to the floor with all the rest that he had disregarded from the previous years. Every holiday Itachi sent him a card wishing him some sort of happiness, and today was his birthday, the day he gathered up all the worthless pieces of trash and set them ablaze. He fished the lighter from his pocket and kneeled down as he placed the edge of the metal to the pile. His thumb pressing into the trigger as flames spread throughout the page, engulfing the pile in a sea of red. The edges recoiled as they burned, and soon the paper turned black as it perished along with the others, leaving behind nothing but ash. He blew the fire out, and closed his eyes hesitantly before opening them again, hoisting himself up as he kicked at the embers with the toe of his navy blue sneakers.

But soon he grew bored of lounging about, and decided upon going out to face the world, of allowing them the privilege of seeing his face. It wasn't everyday they got to be in the presence of a noble.

He snorted to himself, and approached the door, feeling the nob within the palm of his hand. His fingers circled around the metal as he turned it ever so gently, and with a tug the door swung open and a warm summer's breeze rushed through the newly found opening.

Sasuke stretched and then slowly made his way outside, the door falling shut behind him. He wasn't sure where to begin, or where to venture off to. He glanced towards the only tree lying in his finely cut yard, its branches supporting a family of blue jays. The parent's sat, perched on a branch as they listened to their babies call and cry out for their attention, and once it was feeding time one flew to the ground below him, and began digging in the dirt, in search of worms.

This sight brought a faint smile to his face, and he thought back to his own family, when they had been such. How he would give anything to go back, and rejoice with his kin. But it was impossible to do so, so he would just have to live within the time that lay embedded in his own painful memories.

He began on the road leading into town, looking to the houses that lined the streets, imagining the people who lived within. He began to daydream, and it wasn't until the streets began to grow crowded that he became aware of his surroundings. Lying before him was the old academy building, with its green colored walls, and red shackled roof. He thought back to the days he had spent dealing with the annoyance of a young blonde, his once best friend.

But through the years they had grown apart and gradually stopped talking. When they saw each other, it became a casual routine of awkward waves and glances. The last time he had spoken to the boy, he was going with Sakura, a young pink haired girl who angered the Uchiha greatly. But that had been years ago, and for a brief moment he found himself wondering where Naruto was now.

Kids were entering the old building, huddled in groups. And from the distance he saw a familiar face, though the boy had grown considerably. He was lean and tall, but wore much of the same attire. With those same orange goggles hanging from his neck, and that arrogant, stubborn look that still resided within him.

"O...Obito!" He called out and surely the boy turned, surprise registering upon his face. Hesitantly he made his way over to the older man, and hook his thumb within a belt loop as he slouched back, raising a dark eyebrow questioningly.

"Do you still talk to Naruto?"

"Course." The boy laughed, as if the question itself was a ridiculous thing to ask. But then his gaze met with Sasuke's and his grin faltered, "Why?"

"He wouldn't happen to live at the same place would he?"

Obito shook his head almost immediately as he folded his arms behind his head, "Nah. He and Sakura got a place together but then the bitch cheated on him. You should go pay him a visit; it'll do him some good." The boy took his backpack from his shoulder and searched the contents lying within for a piece of paper and a pen, quickly there was a sound of something tearing, and then he jotted down an address and handed the Uchiha the freshly torn note. "If he asks tell him I sent you."

Sasuke nodded, his way of thinking Obito, and the younger male then made his way back towards the building. He glanced down at his palm, where the note lied, and read the address once, then twice. He was going to visit his old friend, for the sake of seeing someone he had thought once worth his time, the only question was, would Naruto want to see him to?


	2. Chapter 2

He leaned into the white porcelain, his palms placed at both ends of the sink. The soft blues of his eyes came to rest upon his own reflection, and with a grimace he stared back at the person he had become. The change hadn't taken place over night, but simply had accumulated over the years and after their break up he no longer cared about anything, much less his appearance. After they split he allowed the blonde strands of his hair to grow considerably, to the point where it passed his shoulders. And stubble now lay against his once clean shaven face. His roommate, Iruka, often tossed snide comments at the boy, comparing him to a nomad. The older man felt that Naruto should consult a professional, coming to diagnose his friend with clinical depression but he was against the idea of having some stranger pry into his very thoughts. So he continued on with his usual routine, such consisting of lounging about until the evening where he often drank himself to sleep.

He lowered his gaze from the mirror and instead focused on the pills that lied to the side of him. It was Iruka's prescription drug, pills that supposedly would ease his anxiety. Only once had Naruto tested them out himself, and it was after Sakura had left. He had run to the bathroom, blinded by rage, and unscrewed the cap, filling the inside of his palm with all that was left. After he had emptied the bottle of its contents, he jammed the pills into his mouth and forced them down. To his dismay Iruka had arrived just in time, and saved the boy from his own suicide. For a couple weeks after the doctors had placed him on suicide watch, and afterwards he no longer felt the need to take his own, for it seemed like too much work.

He moved from the bathroom to the front room, and glanced about for something to occupy his time. He could watch television, and flip through the channels for something of interest, or he could go through the older man's room, and dig up some sort of dirty little secret. He thought better of it, and began to head towards his own room when a knock sounded against the door. Naruto glanced over at the clock lying against the wall; its arms reading 1:23pm, far too early for Iruka to arrive home. He approached the entryway, and peered from the peephole, staring in disbelief at the man who waited on the other side.

He unlocked the door, and gripped at the cold metal knob, twisting it slightly until a click sounded. Then he tugged it open, and found himself standing directly in front of the Uchiha himself.

Surprise registered upon his face as he stared at Naruto. Never in a thousand year could he ever imagine the blonde to look as he did now. But in a sense he felt a sudden attraction, yet a repulsion towards the boy, and soon regained his composure.

"What brings you around here?" The blonde's voice held no contempt or empathy, only a deep sense of loneliness that Sasuke felt he perfectly understood.

"Is that any way too greet an old friend?"

There was a silence that followed, and the two averted their eyes to something else, in an attempt to distract themselves from the tension that had arisen. Naruto began to fidget about uncomfortably, hooking his thumbs into the fabricated pockets of his denim jeans and Sasuke began to wonder if this had been a good idea. Clearly Naruto hadn't wanted to see him, and he didn't want to humiliate himself any further.

"Maybe I should just go?" The statement itself had arisen in the form of a question, and he found himself looking to the blonde for a form of conformation. If Naruto agreed, he would walk away and never venture down this road again, but if he told the boy differently, Sasuke would stay and try to make amends.

"I just wasn't expecting you to drop by." He answered, feigning a look of utter enjoyment, as if he had waited for this moment his whole life. "Is there something you wanted, needed, anything?"

"I just came to see you."

Naruto tensed at the answer, and his smile soon became strained. His eyes narrowed into a look of disbelief as he stared at his once former friend, "And what can I do for you?" He asked in a tone that felt rehearsed.

It had been a terrible idea to appear unannounced, he knew, but he couldn't simply allow this opportunity to slip from his grasp. He chose his next words carefully, weighing each possible result. "Hang out with me," He tried, "It'll be just like the good old days."

Naruto was skeptical of the whole situation, and as his thin eyebrow rose Sasuke knew he had lost. Naruto let out a long exasperated sigh, and folded his arms against his chest, his once soft blue eyes now burning a hole through the Uchiha.

"I really don't have the time to hang right now. I have things to do."

Sasuke took that as his que to leave, and nodded in a sense of defeat, turning on his heels to leave. Naruto saw him off, and watched his figure walk further into the distance until it vanished altogether, again leaving him by his lonesome. Upon seeing him Naruto felt various types of emotions hit him all at once, those ranging from anger to sorrow and despair. He retreated into the sanctity of his own home, and decided to continue on with his routine a couple hours earlier than it usually began. He hurried to the fridge, and rummaged through its drawers for a can of beer. Upon popping the cap he placed the metal to his lips, and tilted his head back as the liquid ran down his throat, resting in the pit of his stomach, filling the void that was his own. Masking the sense of longing that had emerged shortly after seeing the Uchiha.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been weeks since their last encounter, and the memory was still fresh in his mind. The thought brought many emotions out of the boy, often ranging from despair to sorrow as he thought back to all those days they spent together at Konoha high; when they could consider themselves the best of friends. But time had changed all that, as it did many others. After that, Naruto was stripped of all his emotions and left with a falsified feeling, a sense of loneliness so deep that it drove a wedge between Sakura and their love. And after all those years of agony, he was what led her to walk away. Because of Sasuke, he no longer had anyone to care for him. After their disappearance he found himself with Iruka, the only person he could truly depend on.

Iruka had offered to move in and keep him company, his excuse being that he needed a change. But Naruto knew better. The older male had offered him a way out, had deliberately reached out to him when no one else had. And how had Naruto thanked him? By overdosing on some anxiety pills. He knew he wasn't the most perfect being in the world, but Iruka hadn't minded. In fact the two had grown to love each other, and developed a bond so deep that no one could penetrate it. But their feelings had remained neutral throughout the years. They shared a completely platonic relationship, and made it known to others that they were strictly friends. Though there were those who thought them otherwise.

He sighed deeply, and stole a glance to the clock hanging from the wall, its arms reading 3:23 pm. If he really wanted too, he could go visit Iruka and Obito, as they were always at school discussing important matters, or he could always venture off to the old Uchiha manor and visit-

The thought startled him, visit Sasuke? The bastard was the reason for everything.

He pondered this thought for a while longer, bringing his hand to cup his chin. Surely Sasuke wouldn't be expecting him, granting him the element of surprise. He could be the first to strike back for all the years of abandonment.

A twisted smile tugged at the corners of his lip as he thought more about this. And after another long moment, he hoisted himself up, and made his way to the entryway, tugging it open as he stepped outside.

He ventured down the road leading into town, staring into the shop windows, at everything he could never have. He passed the old academy building, and soon found himself in front of the private property belonging to his old friend, Sasuke.

He took his time walking the path that lead to the porch, and when he knocked at the door, he did so so aggressively that he thought he might break through the wood. But when Sasuke answered, he felt all his anger slip away and a numbness loom over him. The two stared at each other, and Sasuke raised a dark eyebrow, pressing him further. He took a step, and welcomed the man inside but his friend only shook his head, and remained where he stood. An awkward tension rising between the two.

He hadn't planned it this way, but it just so happened. And when he brought his gaze up to focus on the other male he felt the word slip from his lips, and linger in the air surrounding them. "Why?"

"Why what?" Sasuke asked.

"Why'd you leave?"

Sasuke drew in a breath as he folded his arms across the thin blue fabric that was his shirt, and leaned against the doorway as if for support. Those charcoal colored eyes lingered on the male for a moment too long, before focusing on the clear blue skies above. His voice barely a whisper as he asked, "You honestly don't remember?" A pained smile crept its way across the delicate features of his face as Sasuke thought back to that fateful day.

_Snowflakes fell from the sky, their delicate designs often left unnoticed as they descended from the skies, falling so elegantly until they came to be one with the others that lay against the earth. The crushed ice often becoming that of a snowman, one with a face and a smile so big it'd warm even the coldest of hearts. Sasuke sat about in its cold wetness as Naruto continued to add on to the figure, seemingly lost in his art. He stared in awe at the blonde who worked diligently, averting his eyes as Naruto quickly turned to him, trudging through the snow with one of those goofy grins. _

"_Hey Sasuke?" He sat himself beside the teen, and looked the skies as the snow continued to fall. Laughing as they began to land upon his face, "I love her you know." _

_Sasuke stared at him, incredulous of the fact. But soon averted his eyes elsewhere as Naruto awaited a response. Minutes passed before a sigh escaped that of his lips, and his voice sounded, "Love?" He asked, barely shaking his head in disbelief, "How can you love someone when you've only known them for a couple of weeks?" _

"_Haha." Naruto laughed sarcastically, "This coming from the man whose never loved at all." _

"_I love you don't I?" There was a silence that followed, and a sense of dread filled the Uchiha. But instead of acting on impulse, he continued to focus on the skies above, distracting himself with whatever. _

_Naruto turned to acknowledge his friend, expecting the male to break out into a laugh, and call him an idiot for almost believing in such things. But as his eyes landed upon Sasuke, he came upon the realization that this was no joke. In some way he felt relieved to hear his friend to express himself so openly, but then again he had Sakura. Not to mention he had just admitted his feelings regarding her. _

_They sat for what seemed like hours, staring at the darkening skies. And when the snow stopped falling, Naruto decided it was about time he head home. With a somewhat forced smile, he wished Sasuke a goodnight, and even though he returned the farewell, a look registered upon his face, one in which Naruto had never seen before. _

He hadn't realized then, but the look he was given was that of pain as its greatest peak, and that had been the last they had seen of each other. Naruto was the one to grow distant, to severe their ties and because of his own selfish act he had damaged their friendship to the point of no return.

He looked to Sasuke with that of a child facing his greatest fears and without another word, Naruto turned on his heel, fleeing down the path he had come. Leaving Sasuke where he stood with that same painful expression painted on his face.


End file.
